Take My Hoof
by Neon Blaze
Summary: One beautiful summer day in Ponyville, Fluttershy meets a detached and secretive pony. She senses pain, and she is determined to reach out and befriend her to find out what kind of pain she's masking. This is the story of how a simple "hello" can change everything.


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/ A Light In The Darkness/ Story: Take My Hoof/ by Neon Blaze/-/

The sun was shining and casting a friendly warmth over everything its rays touched. The trees and every blade of grass sighed with every breath of the cool breeze, which carried the sweet scent of the vivid flowers of every color which bloomed in the sunshine. Songbirds delighted in their choruses while woodland creatures frolicked. That summer in Ponyville was like no other.  
On a day like this, Fluttershy just couldn't stay inside. This was her favorite time of year. Summer gave everypony high spirits. The flora and the fauna, to her, were beautiful beyond measure. Her eyes sparkled with wonder and joy. Fluttershy leisurely flew to the cafe to grab a bite to eat before she spent the afternoon with her animal friends. She took a seat at one of the tables outside. The waiter took her order, and she got a baby carrot and buttercup sandwich with iced apple punch, fresh from Sweet Apple Acres. The cafe was busy, but not obnoxiously so. Most of the tables were filled with laughing, chatting ponies. Fluttershy's order arrived and she began to eat. As she chewed, she looked around, enjoying the general splendor, when out of the corner of her eye she spotted a pony sitting alone at the far table.  
She was a very pale green earth pony with a long, shaggy brown mane and medium length shaggy tail. She looked to be a little younger than Fluttershy by a year or two. The locks of her mane hung in her face, mostly obscuring her left eye. Her eyes were a light blue with a touch of gray. On her flank she wore a faded, red linen cover up with patches all over it that was fraying at the edges. She wore a blank, sulking expression.  
She caught Fluttershy looking at her and slightly flinched, quickly looking away. Fluttershy was puzzled. She set down her sandwich and walked over to the pony with a small, friendly smile. The pony watched her, almost warily.  
"Um, hi... May I sit here? I mean, if you don't mind," Fluttershy asked sweetly.  
The pony nodded slightly, and Fluttershy pulled up a chair and sat across from her. There was a brief awkward silence, and the other pony looked down at her hooves nervously.  
"Um... my name's... Fluttershy," she piped up.  
"Hi," the pony mumbled, who seemed uncomfortable at being put on the spot. It seemed Fluttershy found somepony who was just as reserved as she was. Another awkward silence.  
"Uh... sorry, it just seemed like you could use some company," Fluttershy persisted.  
"Oh..." the pony replied, looking a little surprised, but uneasiness was still evident in her face. "Thanks... But I gotta go." She slid off the chair and started walking off with a little hurry in her step.  
"Wait!" Fluttershy called. "... what's your name?"  
The pony hesitated. "Leah," she replied, then trotted off.  
Fluttershy returned to her table and resumed eating her sandwich, deep in thought.

Later in the afternoon, Fluttershy had a picnic with her animal friends in the park. She poured herself a glass of peach juice and sipped it, letting out a sigh.  
"I don't know... I can't get Leah out of my head," she said. "Something was bothering her... I want to help her, but I don't know if I'll ever see her again, or where I could even find her!"  
One of the squirrels by her side chattered at her.  
"I know, it's probably none of my business," Fluttershy said. "But I just have to. Nopony should have to suffer in silence. I couldn't possibly turn my back on somepony I knew was hurting in good conscience!" The songbirds perched in the branches above her chirped.  
"Ask everypony in town about where I could find her? That's a great idea!" Fluttershy exclaimed, grinning. "Thank you, my friends!" She stood up and flew away.

Strangely, nopony in town seemed to know much about Leah. Fluttershy hated being nosy, but the drive to help a pony in need was strong within her heart. She asked around for days to no avail.  
Then, finally, Fluttershy happened to see her in town, once again eating alone at the cafe with a sullen look in her face. Though Fluttershy hated the idea, she decided the only way to talk to her was to follow her. She hid behind the corner of the cafe and waited. Leah never ordered food; she simply sat in silence.  
After a while, Leah finally got up and left. Fluttershy trailed her. Leah headed into the drugstore and came out with a small paper sack a few minutes later. She soon headed into the park, with Fluttershy close behind.  
Leah walked into a quiet wooded area and finally stopped, sitting down and placing the paper sack on the ground. She looked down into the sack and let out a shaking sigh, closing her eyes. Fluttershy decided now was the time.  
"Hello, Leah," Fluttershy said sweetly, coming out from behind the tree she was hiding behind. Leah jumped upon hearing her voice and made nervous eye contact with her, clutching the sack.  
"Oh!... Hello, Fluttershy..." she said quietly, cringing slightly.  
"You remembered my name!" Fluttershy said, smiling.  
"Yeah, you remembered mine too... Nopony's really done that before," Leah said.  
"How are you doing?" Fluttershy asked, sitting down in front of her.  
"Good, I suppose," Leah replied.  
"You know, I've never really seen you around. Do you live in Ponyville?" Fluttershy asked.  
"Yeah... but I go off by myself... I don't really like large groups of ponies," Leah mumbled.  
"You seem very nice... would you like to meet my animals? I'll let you pet them all you want," Fluttershy offered.  
"Um, thanks, but... I don't think that's a good idea. It'd be better if I was alone..." Leah said, withdrawing. She got up to leave.  
"Oh, please Leah? I love making new friends!" Fluttershy insisted. She wasn't about to give up that easily.  
Leah stopped and looked back at her. "...friend? You'd treat me like a friend?" she asked, almost incredulously. "Of course!" said Fluttershy.  
Leah hesitated, then said, "... Okay, Fluttershy."  
"Yay! Follow me!" exclaimed Fluttershy excitedly, leading the way to her cottage. Leah followed, leaving the paper sack behind.

At her cottage, Fluttershy introduced Leah to all her animals, which greeted her with great delight. Being around all these happy, cuddly animals actually put a slight smile on Leah's morose face, which was more than what Fluttershy could have asked for. Fluttershy served her tea and sat down with her in the living room, getting to know the pony. Leah was about 17 years old and she attended Ponyville High. She liked nature, the color red, classical music, and reading poetry and love stories. When asked about her parents, however, she clammed up.  
It was getting late, and it was time for Leah to leave. As she was walking out the door, she stopped and looked back at Fluttershy.  
"Thank you, Fluttershy... I've... never really had many friends before..."  
"You're welcome," she said sweetly. "You can come back any time."  
Leah allowed herself another small smile, then left.  
A few days passed. Fluttershy was taking a walk with Angel when Leah came up to her again.  
"Hi, Fluttershy," Leah said.  
"Hello, Leah. Would you like to walk with me and Angel?" she replied. "Of course," Leah replied.  
The two friends walked together. Their walk filled Fluttershy with unfathomable joy; she felt like she was really breaking through to her.

One especially breezy day, Leah visited Fluttershy once again to help her groom the rabbits. The two friends were becoming closer, but although Fluttershy could sense a change in her new friend, there still was something so despondent about her. What went on in that troubled pony's mind?  
"Hello, Leah," Fluttershy said, smiling. "These bunnies are very eager to be brushed, but I know how much you like them, so I waited for you."  
"Thanks, Flutter," Leah said. Suspiciously, she seemed to be a little evasive of eye contact. They each picked up a bunny and began brushing it. The bunnies squealed with delight with each stroke. A strong gust of wind blew, blowing the hair out of Leah's face. Fluttershy looked at her friend, and to her surprise, Leah's left eye was black and her left temple bruised.  
Fluttershy gasped. Leah looked at her, confused.  
"What?" she said. Fluttershy brushed the hair aside to get a better look. Leah's good eye widened, and she stood up quickly. "Uh... I-I gotta go," she stammered before hurrying away. "Wait!" Fluttershy exclaimed, catching up to her and grabbing her tail. "What happened?"  
Leah didn't look back at her. Her mane blew in the wind. "I can't tell you..." Leah said, her voice breaking.  
"I'm your friend... you can tell me anything," Fluttershy said tenderly, gently clasping Leah's hoof in both of hers.  
Fluttershy put her hoof around Leah and gently led her back inside. She sat her down on the couch and began brewing tea for her. When it was finished, she handed Leah the cup and sat down in the armchair next to her. "Tell me what happened. Please," Fluttershy pleaded.  
Leah hesitated, then finally lifted her head and spoke. Her voice was trembling. She stared at the ground with dull, miserable eyes.  
"Well... besides you, I don't really have any friends... it's because... it's because I don't have my cutie mark."  
Fluttershy's concerned expression relaxed a bit. "Is that all? Is that why you wear that cover up? You don't need to; not having a cutie mark is nothing to be ashamed of."  
Leah sighed. "You don't understand, Fluttershy. In my world, not having a cutie mark means I'm a nopony. I have to wear this..."  
"But you shouldn't be afraid of being who you are. You're a wonderful pony," Fluttershy insisted.  
"Fluttershy..." Leah said as she very hesitantly removed the cover up. Not only was Leah's flank blank, but there were numerous bruises and contusions. The upper half of both her legs was swollen, and where there weren't bruises, ugly scars blemished. Fluttershy was speechless, and she simply stared in shock. What kind of friend was she for not knowing all this time?  
"How...?" was all Fluttershy could manage to say as her eyes dampened.  
"My... my dad... he thinks I'm useless," Leah said. "He says I should've found my special talent by now. He hits me for it... I've had nopony to talk to about this..." She looked Fluttershy in the eyes. "Until you came along."  
"What about your mom?" Fluttershy said.  
"My mom died when I was 6 years old... She had cancer so she was never able to work," Leah said, looking away. "My dad knew that I would be the mare of the house when she was gone. But as I grew older and never got my cutie mark..." Her voice began to break, and her eyes welled up with tears. "... He just became frustrated all the time because I was still useless to him without one. Then he started hitting... and..." She broke down. She laid on the couch and sobbed. Fluttershy got up and sat next to her. She gently lifted Leah and held her in her arms.  
"It's okay, Leah," Fluttershy whispered gently as her own tears fell. "I will never leave you. I love you, and you will always have me. Don't forget that..."

That night, Fluttershy let Leah sleep over. But the next morning, she had left. Confused, Fluttershy walked downstairs. She found a note with a photo of her and Leah together smiling and eating ice cream on the coffee table. She read the note:

Fluttershy,  
I couldn't sleep at all last night. I decided that I can't stay in Ponyville anymore, at least for now. I've run away from home. By the time you read this, I will probably be on the train to Manehattan. I need to get out into the world and find myself.

I'm a new Leah, Fluttershy, and it's all thanks to you. I never told you, but the day you found me in the woods, I was planning on ending my life. I had bought some aspirin to overdose with, and right as I was about to, you came up to me and said hello. You were right on time.

I can't express in words how thankful I am for you. You opened your door and showed me there was hope. You gave me new life. You were my light in the darkness. When nopony else was there, you were. I am in your debt. But I can't stay. You deserve better than that.

I love you, Fluttershy. Hopefully, one day, our paths will cross again.

Yours forever,  
Leah

Fluttershy held the note close, tears streaming down her face.  
"I love you too," she said softly.

End


End file.
